


Open Arms

by DesertSnowQueen



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Dancer AU, Day 7, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21716062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertSnowQueen/pseuds/DesertSnowQueen
Summary: Day 7! This one is also a little late (by about 45 minutes...), but it's done!Enjoy!
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne
Comments: 10
Kudos: 215
Collections: Daminette December 2019





	Open Arms

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7! This one is also a little late (by about 45 minutes...), but it's done!
> 
> Enjoy!

**So now I come to you**

“Habibiti, you are coming to the Wayne Christmas Gala, right?” Damian asked. They had sent out the invitations and informed his beloved of the event weeks earlier, but he had only heard a tentative yes from her, one confirming she would make a gown for it. Damian hated the galas, and he hated the crowds, but this year he was actually looking forward to it. It would be the first time Marinette was going to attend. 

He was also fairly certain his father intended to use her presence at the gala as a way to formally introduce her to Gotham society. Which he worried Marinette might be aware of and feel she had to act a certain way. Marinette’s fidgeting only served to confirm his worries.

**With open arms**

“I don’t know how to dance,” she whispered. “I want to go, but I can barely manage the swaying hug thing that middle and high school parties use without falling all over the place, and I don’t want to make a fool of myself…”

**Nothing to hide**

“Angel...if it’s the dancing you’re worried about, I can teach you. Father put us all through ballroom dance classes so we would be able to navigate these events with a semblance of dignity. I can teach you the basics for a few styles between now and the party if you want,” Damian offered.

“You would really teach me?” Marinette asked. Damian nodded.

**Believe what I say**

“I can’t imagine _Ladybug_ would have that much trouble learning how to waltz. Just trust me, Habibiti. I won’t let you fall,” he said, holding his hand out to her. Marinette took it and he brought her to the gym, figuring that the sparring mat would be as good a place as any to start teaching her to dance. He scrolled through various waltzes on his phone until he found a song he thought would be suitable to teach her to.

The opening notes to Journey’s _Open Arms_ filled the room. He gently took her hands and showed her the basic box step. Once he was sure she could handle it, he sped up so they would match the beat of the music and counted along out loud for her benefit.

**So here I am**

Once she had the basic step down, he started to teach her how to move around the room in a progressive step. He held her hands the whole time, allowing her to look at her feet until she got the hang of continuing to move backwards instead of alternating between forward and backward steps. Whenever she stumbled, he made sure to catch her and let her regain her footing in her own time.

Eventually she got the hang of that as well, and Damian turned the music back on to practice it with the timing. This time, he heard her counting the beats quietly with him and smiled.

**With open arms**

The next thing he taught her was a basic underarm turn. It was a simple move, but when done properly he knew she would look stunning. She surprised him by learning the pacing to the turn faster than she learned the progressive step, but he attributed it to how smart he knew she was and that she had adjusted to the new rhythm he was trying to teach her.

He decided she was ready to try dancing in a smooth frame, and showed her how to hold her arms and head up to look as elegant as possible.

**Hoping you’ll see**

Then he went back to their box step, only this time he taught her how to rotate it properly. Once she learned that, he lead her through another underarm turn. While she was turning, he rotated the box so he would meet her halfway through the turn instead of making her walk the full circle. Then he rotated the box again so they would be facing line of dance and not crash into any of the other imaginary couples dancing around them.

**What your love means to me**

At the end of their lesson, just for fun, he taught her a dip. He kept his arms securely around her to make sure she wouldn’t fall. The dazzling smile she looked up at him with took his breath away.

Who could blame him for leaning in and stealing a kiss after that?

**Open arms**

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked this one! I may have gotten a little too into it...I'm a ballroom dance teacher so this one doesn't focus so much on their relationship as it does the actual movements but I tried to keep a balance.
> 
> I also high key want to write a proper ballroom dance AU one day with Mari designing ballroom dance costumes as part of her MDC label because she loves the costumes as much as the dancing, but that will have to wait for now. XD


End file.
